Should 16-year-old Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman make England’s World Cup squad? Former teen sensation Michael Owen answers ‘too early’ question

Owen burst onto the scene at Liverpool in May 1997, as he netted on debut for the Reds in a Premier League clash with Wimbledon. A little over a year later and he took the World Cup finals by storm at the age of 18 - becoming England’s youngest debutant in that competition, before opening his tournament goal account against Romania and registering a stunning strike in a dramatic last-16 encounter with Argentina.

Owen, who would go on to become a Ballon d’Or winner, had a full season of professional football under his belt before gracing the grandest of sporting stages. Dowman, who only turned 16 on New Year’s Eve, is not yet in that position. He has figured in just seven games for Arsenal - with three substitute appearances being made in the Premier League.

He made history when becoming the youngest scorer in that division, with an impressive breakaway goal against Everton seeing the history books rewritten. His potential is clear for all to see, with it already being suggested that he could be fast tracked into Tuchel’s England plans.

Would that be the right call or one that is taken far too soon for a youngster that remains part of the Young Lions’ U19 fold for now? Owen - the official UK ambassador for Casino.org, a trusted comparison website highlighting the best online casinos for UK players - told GOAL when presented with that poser: “If they're good enough then, yes, I would have no problem.

“Obviously, just saying good enough is one thing, but that comes with a whole lot of different things that you've got to tick off. Has he achieved enough? Has he done enough? Well, absolutely not yet. I mean, you're talking about is he going to go instead of a [Bukayo] Saka or a [Phil] Foden or a [Jude] Bellingham or an Anthony Gordon? You're talking about players that have got multiple, multiple seasons, multiple evidence.

“Max Dowman, what has he played? Three games in the Premier League, came on as a sub. He would have to basically start virtually every game from now to the end of the season and smash the lights out of everything for you to be able to justify him going ahead of what is probably the strongest part of our team in those attacking wide areas.

“So, I would say as much as I'm a huge admirer and excited to see what a fantastic career he could have, it's probably - based on all the evidence we've been presented with - a bit too soon.”

Pressed further on whether a shock decision regarding Dowman could be considered a slight on the efforts of more seasoned performers - such as West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen and Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy, who is still waiting on a first call-up - Owen added: “This is a cruel game. Life can be cruel. If someone is better than the other or someone's got to give us more chance of winning a World Cup than another person, then I'm afraid that's why managers get paid the big bucks to deliver the big decisions. So, I've got no problem with that in many ways.

“But, if those players that you mentioned were pretty average, then you could say, ‘well, do you know what, we're not going to win it with such and such anyway - they're average, might as well take a risk’. Then I get it. But the likes of Jarrod Bowen, I mean, he's just outstanding. I would make a real case of playing someone like Jarrod Bowen. I think he's that good. If I wasn't starting him, I'd be looking to get him on. And then you've got the likes of Saka in Dowman’s position, and others.

“For someone that's played a handful of games and all off the bench, he'd have to start virtually every game for Arsenal, knock the lights out of it, and then you'd be like, ‘oh my word, we've got to take the risk, we've got to take him’. So, as things stand, I wouldn't. But, as I say, that's no slant on him. I'm so excited to see his career. It's a wonderful start, obviously, but it's very, very, very early.”

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